Thank you, Ms. Lee. Please be seated. Good afternoon, colleagues. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister responsible for the Transportation, Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, good afternoon. Mr. Speaker, since its introduction, the Highway Investment Strategy has been a source of considerable debate.

The strategy will enable the GNWT to invest an additional $100 million into the reconstruction and repair of NWT highways while distributing the cost of these improvements among those sectors of our northern economy that will benefit the most from them.

Mr. Speaker, the strategy is a critical part of our overall fiscal strategy. The funds it will generate will enable us to upgrade our highways -- a key component of the infrastructure that we will need to have in place in order to pursue our vision of resource development in the NWT. The strategy will also allow us to apply any new revenues to investments in other key priority areas -- areas such as those related to education and health care initiatives identified in Towards A Better Tomorrow.

Mr. Speaker, support for these proposed bills has not been strong. However, most residents of the NWT have acknowledged that highway improvements are necessary and agree with the intent of the bills. Many Members of the Assembly, representatives of industry and the general public have offered suggestions as to how this initiative could in fact be improved. They include considerations like:

• • Adding a sunset clause so that once highway improvements are completed, the permit fee will also conclude;
• • Provisions to protect the NWT's fragile manufacturing industry;
• • Increased tax breaks for residents of the NWT to counter some of the increased costs reflected on residents of the NWT; and
• • Protection for lower-income families.

Mr. Speaker, the government has agreed to consider these suggestions and we are prepared to amend the proposed bills to reflect these concerns. To that end, we do not intend to proceed with the proposed legislation this session. Instead, we will take the time to consider, make amendments and share these changes with all stakeholders and Members of this Assembly. We will reintroduce amended legislation during the February budget session.

In the meantime, we will be looking to those individuals and organizations that in the last six months have pledged to continue or support our lobby of the federal government for investment in our region.

Mr. Speaker, everybody agrees that our NWT highways are in much need of improvement. Our decision today will delay much-needed improvements and interim steps may have to be taken to protect our investment of over a billion dollars in the NWT highway system. These steps may include reductions in speed limits, road or load bans, restricted hours or days of operation and seasonal limitations. It also means that we will be forced to spend more money on repairing and rebuilding portions of some highways that will eventually be discontinued, or redirect money from other program areas to finance the most critical of our highway deficiencies.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to reiterate that this government believes that the Highway Investment Strategy is the solution to rebuilding NWT highways to a standard that will encourage and support future investment without taking money away from other important government programs and services.

I trust that we will be able to identify changes so that Members of this Assembly will be able to support this important initiative. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Justice, Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Antoine. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we used to have a tradition of doing something lighthearted in this House on Fridays. I do not believe we are going to be sitting until Friday so I have a Member's statement that I hope no one takes offense to. My daughter helped me write it. It is called the Three Truckloads North.

Once upon a time in a land not so far away, there were three truckloads north. In the winter, they hauled loads and loads of freight to the good people of the Northwest Territories. On their way to the North over the highway system, the three truckloads north had to cross a rushing river. There was only one way to cross over and that was on the ferry. It should be a bridge, but in this case, it was a ferry. The ferry was made of reinforced steel plate. In the wheelhouse of the ferry lurked the highway troll.

No one was allowed to cross the river without paying the highway troll. He wanted the trucks to pay a trip fee. The smallest truckload north was the first to reach the raging river. Vroom! went the little engine as it hauled its freight on the deck of the ferry. "Who is that driving on my ferry and wearing out my roads?" growled the highway troll over the loudspeaker on the ferry from the wheelhouse.

"It is only I," said the smallest truckload north. "I am on my way to Yellowknife with this load of bread and vegetables for the food stores so the families can feed their children." "Oh no you are not," said the highway troll, "not until you pay me." "Oh please, highway troll," pleaded the smallest truck. "I am much too small to pay a trip fee. Why don't you wait for my brother? He is much bigger and has a different axle configuration and would be able to pay a much bigger fee."

The highway troll did not want to waste his time on a little truck if there was a bigger and better truck to tax. "All right, you can pass on my ferry," he grunted. "Go and get heavier and I will tax you on the way back." So the smallest truckload north passed over the raging river.

The highway troll did not have to wait long for the second truckload north. Vroom, vroom! roared the engine as the second truck drove onto the deck of the ferry, causing it to dip slightly to one side. "Who is that driving across the deck of my ferry?" screamed the highway troll, suddenly appearing in the wheelhouse. "Truckload north," said the second truck. "I am heading up to Yellowknife with this load of industrial parts for the suppliers who sell materials to the folks who service the industry." "Oh no you are not," said the highway troll, "not until you pay the trip fee." "Oh no, please," said the second truck. "I may be bigger than the first truckload north, but I am much smaller and will pass through many fewer zones than my big brother, the third truckload north. Why do you not wait for him? He would be able to pay a much bigger fee."

Mr. Speaker, I am going to run out of time here. I did not think this was so long. I would like to seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude her statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. You may conclude your very interesting statement.

-- Laughter

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The highway troll was getting very frustrated but he did not want to waste his time on a middle-sized truck if there was an even bigger one to come. "All right. You may cross on my ferry," he grumbled, "Go and get bigger and I will tax you on your way back." The highway troll did not have to wait long for the third truckload north. Vroom, vroom, vroom! thundered the big engines as the big truck pulled onto the deck of the ferry, causing it to tilt to one side.

"Who is that rolling onto my ferry?" roared the highway troll. "It is the big truckload north," said the B-train loaded with fuel. "I am hauling fuel up to resupply the mines when the winter road is ready." "Oh, no you are not," said the highway troll, as he clambered onto the deck of the ferry, "Not until you pay the trip fee." "That is what you think," said the big truckload north. Then he blasted his horn, revved up his engines, flashed his running lights and busted the highway troll, up, up, up into the air and down, down, down went the highway troll. He landed right back in his chair in Yellowknife at the drawing board in the Cabinet room beside his friend, the finance troll.

-- Laughter

The big truckload north rolled down the road to Yellowknife, bumpy and windy as it was. Until the highway troll found a fairer way to collect the tax, anyone can cross the river and the roads without paying the highway troll.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. I was just checking my list to see which riding the trolls were from. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for -- while we are on a roll -- Hay River North, Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as most of us are aware, the week of October 14th to the 20th was officially proclaimed Family Violence Awareness Week throughout the Northwest Territories. It is imperative, Mr. Speaker, that we as legislators place a tremendous amount of importance on this critical issue, not just during Family Violence Awareness Week but throughout the year.

By importance, Mr. Speaker, I do not just mean passing a motion of proclamation in this House. I am referring to the fact that we as government should commit adequate resources to putting an end to family violence.

I would like to take this opportunity, Mr. Speaker, to recognize and to surely thank Ernestine Gladue and her very competent staff at the Family Support Centre in Hay River.

Mr. Speaker, I believe that this government should do everything in its power to assist shelters such as the Family Support Centre in promoting the safety and well-being of women and their families.

Mr. Speaker, we need to find a solution to generational violence in our communities. We need to offer future generations an alternative to violence. Mr. Speaker, I strongly believe that this government can and should do more to support family violence shelters such as the Family Support Centre in Hay River so that they may assist people to make positive choices towards healthier lifestyles.

At the appropriate time, Mr. Speaker, I will have further questions to the Minister responsible. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Delorey. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Deh Cho, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to once again talk about the GNWT's support for the development of oil and gas industry related opportunities for residents and businesses in my constituency.

Mr. Speaker, there is a great deal of oil and gas exploration activity in the southern Mackenzie region; activity that should be supported and assisted by this government to a much greater degree than is currently the case.

According to the NWT oil and gas activity update issued by RWED on September 14th of this year, there are plans in place by industry to drill as many as 13 wells, in addition to seismic programs in the Deh Cho region. Five of these exploration wells were slated for the Cameron Hills. Total expenditures in the region are then projected as high as $90 million. In contrast, the same document states that there are up to eight exploratory wells being planned by industry in the Beaufort-Delta region for the upcoming winter.

Notwithstanding the subsequent effect of September 11th terrorist attacks on the United States on these plans, I feel that these numbers should help honourable Members place my constituency of the Deh Cho in some kind of context when it comes to assessing GNWT assistance for development in the region.

These drilling statistics demonstrate that some of the drilling training that is being conducted in the Inuvik area would be very beneficial in my constituency, yet there is no such program being offered in the Deh Cho. Indeed, although NWT Community Mobilization, with GNWT assistance, has facilitated many workshops on industry worker certification in the Sahtu and the Delta over the last 12 months through its Worker Capacity Building Program, there has been none in my constituency since December of 1999.

Community organizations consequently have to pay for basic training initiatives themselves and try to recoup the funds from the GNWT in any way that they can. This is unacceptable, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment labels some of its initiatives in oil and gas training as just-in-time training courses. Mr. Speaker, this term illustrates the government taking a reactive approach to human resources planning and training.

Mr. Speaker, I seek consent to continue my statement.

Thank you. You still had a few seconds left to go but the honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. You may conclude.

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment labels some of its initiatives in the oil and gas industry training as just-in-time training courses. Mr. Speaker, this term illustrates the government taking a reactive approach to human resources planning and training.

What our workforce needs is a proactive approach to training that will ensure that the trained people are in place in advance of opportunities actually arriving. Mr. Speaker, we cannot afford to wait for training programs to be put in place just in time for trainees to see exploration companies leaving town.

I would like to also raise the issue of specialist advice for communities in my constituency. Many of the community governments in my constituency are aboriginal government organizations that have traditional land rights in the area rich in oil and gas potential. The GNWT should be assisting these communities with funding to enable them to hire industry-specific specialists on a confidential basis to allow them to negotiate value-added business deals with industry partners.

I am not talking about in-house advice offered by the GNWT, Mr. Speaker. I am talking about funding for aboriginal community governments to hire industry specialists and negotiators that will allow them to conduct professional, due diligence analysis negotiation on potential business deals.

At the present time, there are opportunities for commercial participation on a number of different levels, up to and including equity participation in oil and gas initiatives for aboriginal community governments in my constituency. Only informed decisions will maximize long-term benefits for these communities and the NWT as a whole, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, what is needed is for a comprehensive and imaginative package of government services and programs to be put in place that will assist aboriginal governments to take advantage of the unique opportunities that are available to them. Opportunities that, if taken advantage of, will benefit all Northerners. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for North Slave, Mr. Lafferty.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Nitah.

Thank you, Mr. Nitah. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to inform my constituents that hopefully, if we wrap up today, I will be travelling home tomorrow to meet not only with my constituents but to once again take my spot in the family unit back home. I will gladly inform my constituents that the issues that have been raised in this House, or the things that have happened over the last number of days and weeks that we have been in session, if they have concerns or questions, I invite them to come over to my constituency office in Inuvik, sit down with me, have a cup of coffee and I will try to address their concerns. If they feel they want to come over and seek some clarification on the issues and concerns that were raised in this House.

Just informing my constituents and my family that I am coming home. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Giving them plenty of warning. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Tomorrow in the Great Hall, as you know, the Legislative Assembly will host the St. John's Ambulance investiture ceremonies. The St. John Order is over 900 years old and it has been in the North for approximately 24 years. Volunteers will be recognized through investments and promotions by the chancellor of the Canadian priory of the St. John's Ambulance, Mr. Robert Langdon, and the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories, the Honourable Glenna Hansen.

This year, there will be 20 Northerners recognized for their volunteer service work in the Order of St. John's Ambulance. Twelve recipients will take part in the ceremony in the Great Hall tomorrow and another eight will be honoured in Ottawa later this month.

It is my pleasure to acknowledge Mike Lowing, a constituent of Yellowknife South, who is being recognized tomorrow for his volunteer efforts and being promoted to the rank of officer in St. John's Ambulance.

Mr. Speaker, Mike started as a young cadet many years ago with the St. John's Ambulance. He is currently on the board of directors and in 1996 became a serving brother. The honour and awards committee selected Mike because of his dedication and work for St. John's Ambulance in our community. His main service with St. John's focuses on improving first aid training and determining community needs for training services and supplies. Mike is known by members of the St. John's Ambulance, his peers, and indeed our entire community, as a very dedicated person who gives as much time as he can to this organization and to community service in general.

Youth programs are of particular interest to him and he enjoys promoting healthy lifestyles and safety to youth. Those who know Mike fully recognize and appreciate how much time and effort he dedicates to our community. Mike joined the Yellowknife Fire Department as a volunteer in 1984 and is currently employed as a firefighter and has been since 1985, Mr. Speaker.

In closing, I would like to ask my fellow Members to join me in recognizing the invaluable work and service that St. John's Ambulance brings to the North. The interest and training in the North are the highest per capita in the country. I think, Mr. Speaker, this speaks volumes about the many dedicated volunteer men and women serving in our communities.

Congratulations to all of this year's recipients. Thank you.

-- Applause